It was hard for me to assess the personal impact of the recent revelations of child sexual abuse at Penn State. Penn State had been for me a football program like Notre Dame. It's not enough to win on the field; you have to do it in the classroom as well, and graduate your athletes. Integrity and honor are priorities. There is no greatness without goodness.
At times, I thought JoePa had overstayed his welcome. It was a little like football coach Ben Schwartzwalder at Syracuse University toward the end of this career. The football program was tanking and Ben stayed on - the desire was to reach 25 years as head coach. And he did. But the football program took some time to recover.
In fact, however, JoePa's longtime stewardship at Penn State was a good thing for the school. The program was classy, and maintained a winning tradition. Now, had JoePa not won football games, we wouldn't be seeing the wave of sentiment toward the guy. He would have been run out of Happy Valley years ago if he didn't win. Winning is the sine qua non of all sports, and indeed of life - but where does it stop? Where is the reality check?
When I wrestle with issues, I read. The information is good, but often the perspective is better. I saw a column in the National Review online that helped me a lot, because the most insidious aspect of the sorry tale is how it was handled by several people who should have known better, should have done more.
It was called "Penn State and the Wages of Cowardice," by David French. I'd never heard of the guy before.
An excerpt: "It was cowardly for an athletic director to hear reports of abuse and do . . . nothing. The way of the coward is to seek self-preservation and the preservation of your friends and cronies. The coward keeps the gravy train rolling and revels in the accolades even as he knows terrible truths — truths he will never, ever have the courage to reveal." The link to the full story is: http://www.nationalreview.com/corner/282956/penn-state-and-wages-cowardice-david-french
It reminded me of how evil, for most of us, consists primarily of sins of omission. Of turning a blind eye; of following the letter of the law, not its spirit; of a failure to recognize and to do the right thing.
It reminded of the importance of being brave and risking longtime career and friends to see that justice is done.
Because I'm subject to that kind of thing. Sometimes the fraternity of men, the easy camaraderie of like-minded fellows, reinforces your sense of yourself, and your moral touchpoints become dulled.
But the most important lesson of being an adult, of being a good person, is sometimes calling a spade a spade. Of blowing the whistle, and seeing that justice is done, and that the innocent are not harmed. A stunning number of Penn State officials, probably otherwise good men, failed this test. And I have to ask: what would I have done?
Today, this morning, I know that I will remember this lesson about a tragic sin of omission, and think twice about giving a wink and a nod toward behavior that is patently wrong, and risk my membership in easy fraternity, to see that the right thing is done.
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